Prizes are usually presented on a special occasion, often coinciding with the General Meeting of TWAS.

Description

The TWAS Prizes are awarded to individual scientists from developing countries in recognition of an outstanding contribution to scientific knowledge in nine fields of sciences and/or to the application of science and technology to sustainable development.

TWAS was founded in 1983 by a distinguished group of scientists from the developing world, under the leadership of Abdus Salam, the Pakistani physicist and Nobel laureate. They shared a belief that developing nations, by building strength in science and engineering, could build the knowledge and skill to address such challenges as hunger, disease and poverty. From the start, the Academy had essential support from Italian scientists and political leaders.

The Third World Academy of Sciences, as it was first known, was inaugurated officially in 1985 during a ceremony attended by UN Secretary-General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar. Initially, TWAS had 42 elected fellows – nine of them Nobel laureates. Today, TWAS has some 1,100 elected Fellows from 90 countries; 15 of them are Nobel laureates. About 85% come from developing nations, and the rest are scientists and engineers from the developed world whose work has had a significant impact in the South. As some of the world's most accomplished scientists and engineers, they are the foundation for all of the Academy's work...

Eligibility

Candidates for a TWAS Prize must be scientists who have been working and living in a developing country for at least ten years immediately prior to their nomination. They must meet at least one of the following qualifications:

a. Scientific research achievement of outstanding significance for the development of scientific thought.

b. Outstanding contribution to the application of science and technology to sustainable development.

Members of TWAS and candidates for TWAS membership are not eligible for TWAS Prizes.